Robert Fletcher
Miriam Rothschild Professor of Conservation Biology, University of Cambridge
(formerly Univ. Florida)
Working on ecology, conservation, and ornithology. Love telling a good story. Fond of maths. Husband and Dad.
fletcherlab.com
- Reposted by Robert FletcherDo agricultural diversification practices pay off in the long run? Our new paper synthesizes 100+ years of evidence showing that diversification practices become more profitable over time and delivers growing benefits for soils, biodiversity, and carbon. www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherI will probably be posting about this one a lot in the coming weeks: our special issue on ALAN / light pollution in Biological Conservation is now open for submissions! With @gkalinkat.bsky.social, Jacqueline Degen, and Franz Hölker. www.sciencedirect.com/special-issu...
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher“industrial agriculture is a shockingly inefficient way of producing food It takes 9 calories of crops to get 1 calorie of chicken, 10 or 11 calories of crops to get 1 calorie of pig meat or farmed fish and 40 to 100 calories of crops to get 1 calorie of beef” www.theguardian.com/environment/...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherToday I had the good fortune of meeting a few beautiful firetails and until now I far not fully appreciated their fantastic snoots
- This is a wonderful summary of how two common connectivity models used in ecology and conservation are related: Circuit theory is a special case of connectivity modeling with the SAMC (Spatial Absorbing Markov Chains)
- Revamped my circuit theory article for the samc package. Improved the clarity and structure, as well as added a new section to highlight some important things for interpretation and practical use. #samc andrewmarx.github.io/samc/article...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherWas honored to get the call to be one of The Guardian’s Big Interviews in G2. A thorough and thoughtful piece that digs into the real fundaments of the AI bubble narrative. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherBeautiful and incredible scenes from the centre of the Netherlands, a country with 1.5 times the density of people in the UK. A pack of 11 wolves roaming through the snow!
- Reposted by Robert FletcherA great start to the new year: registration for the European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB 2026) is now officially open! Participants can take advantage of a special Early Bird discount, available until 31 March 2026. More on: eccb26leiden.eu/registration/
- Reposted by Robert FletcherWorld’s biggest buyers of Brazilian soy plan to exit the Amazon Soy Moratorium — a voluntary pact that kept deforestation-linked soy out of global supply chains for nearly 20 years. Critics warn the move could reverse hard-won gains, especially in Mato Grosso, where deforestation is rising.
- As someone trained as both a field ecologist and quantitative scientist, this tension runs deep for me. Some of my group are entrenched in the field whereas others work with models for a living. ‘I rarely get outside’: scientists ditch fieldwork in the age of AI www.nature.com/articles/d41... 1/4
- In addition to all the important points made, I would add another: field work not only gives insight into the depths of nature, but it also gives insight to the value and limits of data we collect to understand nature. 2/4
- When we only view nature from the data we collect at our desks, we often ask, "What data are available?" rather than asking, "We data do we need & how should we best get it?" We often assume the data are reliable, but I have frequently seen scientists misinterpreting the data they download. 3/4
- Both perspectives are important and both need each other. If you do not go into the field, collaborate with those that do. If you are incredible in the field, find a quantitative friend. 4/4
- Reposted by Robert FletcherIt’s official: I’m joining the School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of Iowa as an assistant prof starting Fall 2026! I’ll be recruiting multiple grad students and postdocs to join my lab, so if you’re into disturbance ecology and conservation science… watch this space!
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher'Science is at its best when guided by curiosity, intuition, and the courage to explore ideas that others might overlook.' In Profile: Kolby J. Jardine nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... #PlantScience
- Reposted by Robert FletcherCome and join me and my colleagues at the Department of Biology, #LundUniversity in #sweden! We have am open position as Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Biodiversity. Apply here no later than February 11 2026: lu.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:8…
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher2025 was the warmest year on record for Central England in a dataset that starts in 1659. (Daily data available since 1772.) www.metoffice.gov.uk/hadobs/hadce...
- Happy New Year! Here is a good news conservation story to start the year off right: @camzoology.bsky.social @conservation.cam.ac.uk youtu.be/cCBut3BAsCU?...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherWe are recruiting several PhD students. If you are interested in conservation conflicts, population ecology, quantitative ecology, or biodiversity, check these projects out (links in the thread, feel free to reach out):
- Reposted by Robert FletcherDeer numbers have been rocketing in the UK and Ireland, causing *massive* damage to nature and society. The solutions? Eat wild venison instead of farmed meat, and reintroduce missing native predators like lynx. www.bbc.com/news/article...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherA comprehensive review building on the IPBES #InvasiveAlienSpecies Assessment reveals that numbers of alien species are increasing for all taxonomic groups and regions, and that this trend is likely to continue. Read more: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/brv.70058
- Reposted by Robert FletcherAs the EU’s deforestation-free regulation takes effect in 2026, companies will lean on satellite maps to prove their supply chains are compliant. But a new review warns most maps can’t meet EUDR standards, risking misclassification in places where agroforestry and forests look alike.
- Reposted by Robert FletcherJust published: a cross-taxon synthesis of how #non-native species spread: from dispersal and #invasion fronts to Allee effects, human pathways, and predictive models. Understanding spread is key to management & policy. 👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... #bioinvasions #InvasiveSpecies 🧪🌍🌐
- Reposted by Robert FletcherWe're hiring! The Dept. of Environmental Conservation @umassamherst.bsky.social is looking for an Extension Professor in Biodiversity Conservation. Reviews start Feb 1. I am on the SC and absolutely love working in the ECo Dept. Come join us! DM me with questions. careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-u...
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher🗞️ Great news! A golden eagle has been spotted in northern England for the first time since 2015. Scientists working in the area report multiple sightings since April 2025. Read more in Mongabay: ow.ly/eFb450XAvyN
- Reposted by Robert FletcherOur new review lays out a framework for understanding the social-ecological benefits of protected areas to their surroundings - just published in One Earth: www.cell.com/one-earth/ab... doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2025.101462
- Reposted by Robert FletcherElephants along with red deer, horses and wolves on the Spanish coast, not so long ago 🐘🦌🐎🐺🐾🇪🇸 #megafauna #lastinterglacial phys.org/news/2025-12...
- The fantastic Ellen Robertson at Univ. Florida is recruiting 2 PhD students to work in her lab. Students would work with long-term data on two endangered species: The Snail Kite & Red-cockaded Woodpecker. If thinking about a PhD, please take a close look! Below are details on the kite project:
- Reposted by Robert FletcherNew postdoctoral fellowship opportunity! Please pass along. Excited to announce the launch of the Tom Lovejoy Fellowship Program at the University of Arizona for innovative research to protect species, sustain ecosystems, and promote a thriving planet lovejoycenter.arizona.edu/lovejoy-fell... 🧪🌐🌾
- Really excited about what came in the mail today:
- Reposted by Robert FletcherA new PNAS paper finds that polarization increased immediately after the invention of smartphones and the advent of social media, which both appeared around the same year, 2008. www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
- Go see Joe’s poster! He is doing fantastic work! #BES2025
- Excited for the BES Annual Meeting in Edinburgh this week, where I’ll be presenting our framework for forecasting human-wildlife conflict in near real-time!🏴 Looking forward to chatting more about human-wildlife conflict, elephants, forecasting and movement modelling.🐘 #BES2025
- Reposted by Robert FletcherOne of the techniques the students learn to use on our #Wildlife #Conservation #MSc field course in #SouthAfrica is camera trapping to estimate mammal biodiversity. Sometimes the videos are more interesting than other times #leopard @uniofhull.bsky.social
- Reposted by Robert FletcherThe subtropical thicket is one of South Africa’s most biodiverse yet overlooked ecosystems. Through spekboom planting, the Thicket Restoration Flagship aims to restore 800,000 hectares of thicket. Learn more about this #GenerationRestoration effort: ow.ly/k50A50XIGsh
- Reposted by Robert FletcherHigh-resolution land-use maps from 1960 to 2100 🌎🧪 🌐 www.cell.com/one-earth/fu...
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher[FOUNDER'S BRIEF - @rhettayersbutler.bsky.social] After years of expeditions, Gregg Treinish felt uneasy: he wasn’t making a difference. He founded Adventure Scientists, turning outdoor enthusiasts into data collectors whose work now spans microplastics, illegal timber & California’s biodiversity.
- Really happy to share that the Second Edition of our book, "Spatial Ecology and Conservation Modeling", is now out and available online! We provide a foundation for applied spatial ecology with a focus on learning-by-doing. @camzoology.bsky.social @conservation.cam.ac.uk
- The Second Edition includes over 200 new pages of concepts and examples, including new chapters on advances in movement, spatial prioritization and conservation planning. It also incorporates recent developments in the field throughout.
- Reposted by Robert FletcherSeed dispersal by 🦜🦇 underpins rainforest recovery. We want to understand more about its timing + traits driving recovery through obs, exp + genomic data. Ready to join the @reassemblynet.bsky.social team working in Ecuadorian Chocó? Pls apply to our 4-yr PhD position @sgn.one: tinyurl.com/2pkryc99
- Important work about biodiversity across sub-saharan Africa: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
- Just finished up a series of statistics workshops—this….
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher🚨we're looking for new Associate Editors to join our editorial board! ⏲️deadline for submissions: 23 February 2026, 23:59 GMT (UTC+0) 📎read more and apply at the link below: www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/appl...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherHuge News from the Western Amazon: it's the year 2025 and we are still describing entirely new, strikingly-distinctive large-bodied bird species! Behold Tinamus resonans sp. nov. the Slaty-masked Tinamou mapress.com/zt/article/v... #Ornithology @tetzoo.bsky.social 🪶
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher2025. Native megafauna (Bison bison) act as a surprising inhibitor of cedar tree expansion in a Great Plains grassland esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10....
- Reposted by Robert FletcherAs the vulture population plummets, dogs multiply and rabies spreads. The sequence, triggered by human action, carries a warning that many scientists consider to be a sixth mass extinction: When we endanger other species, we endanger ourselves.
- Reposted by Robert FletcherSystematic Continental Scale Monitoring by Weather Surveillance Radar Shows Fewer Insects Above Warming Landscapes in the United States 🔗 buff.ly/KnY2LCi
- Reposted by Robert FletcherFor months @ainsliecruickshank.bsky.social has been pouring over documents trying to find out how many animals are killed on train tracks in B.C. Companies are supposed to report rail kills but records she obtained found reporting is inconsistent and incomplete projects.thenarwhal.ca/collision-co...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherLand-use change undermines the stability of avian functional diversity - new #OA @nature.com paper with @patrickawalkden.bsky.social @josephtobias.bsky.social, combining #PredictsProject with #Avonet doi.org/10.1038/s415...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherSpatial Insurance of Distinct Ecological Functions Communities can act as functional sources and sustain rare ecological roles across space. We reveal patterns of functional vulnerability for plants and birds Check out our Perspective in Ecol Lett 👉 onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/... 🌐🌍🦤🪴🍁🧪
- Reposted by Robert FletcherThere are 3 exciting postdoctoral openings to work on biodiversity research, monitoring and conservation with us at UBC - check them out! 2 positions: biodiversity.ubc.ca/training-and... 1 position: science-bcbiodiversitynetwork-2025.sites.olt.ubc.ca/opportunities/
- Reposted by Robert FletcherDid you know that European wildcats could return to Devon? 🐾 These fascinating cats have been absent in south west England for over a century but a two-year study has concluded that reintroducing wildcats to mid-Devon is feasible — and that most local people are positive about the idea. 🧵1/2
- Reposted by Robert FletcherOne of the world’s rarest birds has rebounded from near extinction after Indigenous communities in Bali committed to protect it under traditional laws, Mongabay contributor Heather Physioc reported. In 2001, just six Bali starlings were known to live in the wild. By 2021, there were roughly 520.
- Reposted by Robert FletcherParticipatory mapping (#PPGIS) has potential to foster socially inclusive #EcosystemRestoration. In our recent #PeopleNatureLandscapesBlog, Gaelle Ndayizeye showcases her experiences from a PPGIS study of how local farmers value Western Rwanda's restoration landscapes. medium.com/people-natur...
- Happy to share new research, just out in Ecology @esajournals.bsky.social, led by Meghan Beatty. We interrogate source-sink dynamics over a 28-year period for the endangered snail kite, testing how an invasion of novel prey alters dynamics... esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
- We find that: 1) No site was consistently a source or a sink over time 2) Invasive species can have distant impacts on uninvaded populations via fluctuations in native species’ local retention and emigration 3) Previously reported benefits of invasive prey attenuate over time
- Reposted by Robert FletcherSafeguarding long-term research in ecology and evolution www.nature.com/articles/s41... Q&A with Stéphane Blanc, research director at CNRS, about the Long-term Studies in Ecology and Evolution programme and its priorities for supporting long-term monitoring and research Free to read: rdcu.be/eQltU
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher🚨Job opportunity🚨 We are hiring a 3yr research technician. If you love fieldwork, are passionate about forests & mountains, and want to up-skill in remote sensing, sensor networks and running field experiments this could be the dream job for you! 🧪🌳⛰️🛰️🌡️🍄 www.bristol.ac.uk/jobs/find/de...
- Reposted by Robert FletcherSouth Africa’s rhinos now have an unlikely superpower: radioactivity! Scientists working on the Rhisotope Project inject the horns of live rhinos with a radioactive isotope. Although harmless to rhinos, it makes smuggled horns easy to detect in customs inspections in hopes of deterring poaching.
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher[This post could not be retrieved]
- Reposted by Robert FletcherIf you’re wondering what a “least weasel” is, they absolutely live up to the name. This is the least amount of animal you can have that can still meet the bar for “is weasel”
- Reposted by Robert FletcherShiny new PhD being advertised with me and @cmbeale.bsky.social !!
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- Reposted by Robert Fletcher[This post could not be retrieved]
- Reposted by Robert Fletcher🌍Connectivity occurs from local to global scales and is crucial to supporting life on Earth. 🌿Protecting, restoring and enhancing ecological connectivity underpins the survival of a wide range of species and is key to tackling the global nature and climate crises. #RestoreWetlands #WetlandsMatter
